Pollis Hotel

The backyard was a lovely place to unwind, with a great pool, jacuzzi, plenty of sun loungers, and a hammock. Food was another highlight: breakfast and dinner had lots of variety, with something new and tasty to try each time. We stayed at the Pollis Hotel 4* in Crete and had a very pleasant time. The location is convenient, not far from the beach or town centre, yet quiet. Our room was tidy and clean, and was cleaned regularly. The staff were polite and helpful.

There were a few things we liked: the pizza was very good, the poolside area was comfortable, and the location was handy for the beach and shops. But I wouldn’t recommend the hotel. Our room was probably the worst one. It was at pool level, tucked in a corner beside a “hole” under the stairs where beer kegs were kept. Stray cats had made a home there and even had kittens. On day three, we found cockroaches in the room. We reported it to reception, but had to wait 24 hours for a new room, and only got one after pushing hard. The room we left was simply prepared for the next guests. Breakfast was bland and boring, and the juices were too sweet. The rooms smelled musty. On checkout day, we had to hand back our all-inclusive wristbands, so lost access to the buffet and bar. We only got a voucher for one lunch and one drink, even though our airport transfer wasn’t until just before 6 p.m. The alcoholic drinks selection was very limited, with extra charges for the others. Bar drinks tasted awful. The only ones we could drink were water, beer, ouzo, and orange juice.

The reception staff were especially lovely: kind, helpful, and friendly throughout, and they made the hotel feel welcoming. My stay was good and the hotel met my expectations, though there are a few things it could improve. The vegetables at meals were lacking in both quality and quantity, and I would have liked more fresh choices. Even with that, I can recommend the place, mainly because of its lovely, professional staff.

We liked the food, the kitchen staff were nice, and the pool area was good. As a place to stay, though, I wouldn’t come back. My family and I booked an all-inclusive package and a triple room. When we got there, instead of three beds we found two beds and a small mattress. We went to reception to ask a young male receptionist if that was their standard triple room, since the website showed something else. He said it was and did nothing. A few minutes later, we saw into room 2006 next door when its guests left the door open. It was also a triple room, but had three proper beds. It seemed clear that the receptionist had lied to us, which wasn’t nice. There was no shower gel in the bathroom. In my experience, hotels usually provide small bottles of it and other toiletries. The white bed linen had brown marks and didn’t look clean. They told us our room would only be cleaned every three days, but I heard another guest say theirs was cleaned daily, even though they had the same package.